2

Readers note: I am not good at keeping a baby book, so this blog is my baby book for our kids, so this post is not really for y'all so much as it is for Ansley and our memories of her on her 2nd birthday)

Ansley, Annie, Ann, Ampersand, Anzy (Austin's name for you),

You are 2!! I cannot believe you are 2!! It does not seem like it has only been 2 years since you were born; honestly, it feels like 5! You are such a joy and I just feel like you have been here with us for a long time.

You are such a good, sweet child. Everyone that meets you says how pretty or cute or adorable you are, and as your mom and dad, that makes us feel wonderful inside, not because we want people to think we have a cute kid, but because other people can see how wonderful you are, and it is not just us!! Although of course we are super partial!!

You and your brother are just starting to play together like true siblings; of course you fight and argue, but you also seem to play together too! Austin has figured out (slowly) that if you have something he wants, if he just asks you for it, you will almost always give it to him. You are very giving and you really love to share.

You love to share everything, but especially food. You want to share your food and you insist that others share their food with you....no matter what it is!! You love everything dad & grandpa eat, and you like some pretty weird stuff, raw onions seem to be one of your favorites!! But you also like horseradish ;)

You love to talk, you love to laugh, you love to be tickled, you love to be silly, you LOVE Charlie like no one else, you love to pat Charlie's face & back, you love to swing and play in the sandbox, you love to talk on the phone, you love to smile, and you love to be loved. You love to wave bye and blow kisses, you say "kiss, kiss" and wave bye. You sound just like a southern belle when you say "bye" and we all laugh when you say it.

You have your stubborn moments too (don't know where that comes from) but you can get a stubborn streak in you. You have already started to roll your eyes up into the corner of your eye socket when you are in trouble, and you will refuse to look at us when we are trying to talk to you about what you did. But honestly, this happens about once every two weeks, and it usually happens when you are tired or when Austin has been picking on you! But I am not making excuses ;)

Everyone at school loves you! Numerous teachers on numerous occasions have said that they wish all of their kids could be like you! Your daily notes share things about you like: she did a great job answering yes & no questions; she loves singing her ABC's; she knows her numbers; she loved playing outside.....

We can always tell when you are sick; when you have a fever you are bright red and you are just not your normal self! I hate when you have to have a catheter put in to draw a urine sample, and you do too!! You have been better this year, and we hope the end is in sight. Nothing hurts your mother more than seeing you in pain. Every time we go to the doctor's office now, you will not let me put you down and you scream when I do, as you probably are thinking that a catheter is coming....I am so sorry for that and I am willing all I can that you get better soon.

I love you so much it hurts sometime, because I wish that your grandmother was here to see you since you would have been one of the prettiest apples of her eyes! You remind me so much of her and you are just as sweet as she was. I know she is watching over you and I hope to help you know her through me. I am just like her in many ways, as I am crying now as I write this, and I know she would be too!! We are just old softies at heart!!

You are now starting to show your loving side by patting your baby dolls on their backs and putting them to bed. After you lay them down and pat them on their backs you say "shhh" and put your finger to your lips, it is pretty funny. You also love to say certain words that just make us laugh!!

You are small! You definitely have your grandma's genes, as you might weigh 22 pounds, and that is with all your clothes & shoes on and a pretty full diaper!! You are short, but as your dad always says, you are dainty!! Since you are so small it is okay that you still love to be carried, but as you get bigger, you are going to have to do some more walking on your own!! But I will carry you as long as I can! This is not to say you do not walk on your own, but given the chance, you love to be carried around ;)

We are so glad that you are our daughter, sister, granddaughter, and niece. Happy birthday Ansley!!

ps. your real birthday party is on Sunday so that the rest of your family can be here. Today your school is having an "end of the school year" party, so you will have lots of sugar at school!